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Goldfish and Koi Discussions - Care and keeping of goldfish, koi, carp.
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Posted by Cshenk on October 15, 2007, 9:33 pm
Please log in for more thread options Hi, fairly experinced fish keeper here but reestablishing a 70gT tank after
6.5 years in storage. It's been ages since I had to start one over fresh.
I recall the process but not the time factor. No need for immediate answer,
the tank gets here in 4 days but we plan to fil it on the back porch to make
sure it's still watertight, and leave it there for a week. Then, we bring
it in and fill and start the process.
We normally start with just fresh water, gravel, and LFS plants and the
pump. I've had bad experiences with getting tank water from LFS places.
Then, after a week or so we add a molly nd leave it be. I seem to recall 3
weeks? Has to be a week after it clouds up then clears. There is a biota
bottle we used once and it worked well to get things going.
It's more of a 'remind me' than a teaching of the basics. Bet you folks are
happy to see that for a change!
xxcarol
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Posted by David L. Burkhead on October 16, 2007, 7:35 am
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Cshenk wrote:
> Hi, fairly experinced fish keeper here but reestablishing a 70gT tank
> after
> 6.5 years in storage. It's been ages since I had to start one over
> fresh. I recall the process but not the time factor. No need for
> immediate answer, the tank gets here in 4 days but we plan to fil it
> on the back porch to make sure it's still watertight, and leave it
> there for a week. Then, we bring it in and fill and start the
> process.
>
> We normally start with just fresh water, gravel, and LFS plants and
> the pump. I've had bad experiences with getting tank water from LFS
> places. Then, after a week or so we add a molly nd leave it be. I
> seem to recall 3 weeks? Has to be a week after it clouds up then
> clears. There is a biota bottle we used once and it worked well to
> get things going.
>
> It's more of a 'remind me' than a teaching of the basics. Bet you
> folks are happy to see that for a change!
> xxcarol
My recommendation would be to get a test kit (I use the Aquarium
Pharmaceuticals Freshwater Master Test Kit) and use it religiously.
Opinions are very mixed on the use of starter cultures such as Cycle and I'm
not sure if they really help, but I'm using Cycle while cycling the tank I
have slated to house a betta.
I'm also a big fan of fishless cycling so as to avoid putting the fish under
the stress of ammonia and nitrite poisoning. See details here:
http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_fishless.php
http://malawicichlids.com/mw01017.htm
It can take a month or more, so be patient.
--
David L. Burkhead "Dum Vivimus Vivamus"
mailto:dburkhead@sff.net "While we live, let us live."
My webcomic Cold Servings
http://www.coldservings.com -- Back from hiatus!
Updates Wednesdays
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Posted by Tynk on October 16, 2007, 11:01 am
Please log in for more thread options > Cshenk wrote:
> > Hi, fairly experinced fish keeper here but reestablishing a 70gT tank
> > after
> > 6.5 years in storage. It's been ages since I had to start one over
> > fresh. I recall the process but not the time factor. No need for
> > immediate answer, the tank gets here in 4 days but we plan to fil it
> > on the back porch to make sure it's still watertight, and leave it
> > there for a week. Then, we bring it in and fill and start the
> > process.
>
> > We normally start with just fresh water, gravel, and LFS plants and
> > the pump. I've had bad experiences with getting tank water from LFS
> > places. Then, after a week or so we add a molly nd leave it be. I
> > seem to recall 3 weeks? Has to be a week after it clouds up then
> > clears. There is a biota bottle we used once and it worked well to
> > get things going.
>
> > It's more of a 'remind me' than a teaching of the basics. Bet you
> > folks are happy to see that for a change!
> > xxcarol
>
> My recommendation would be to get a test kit (I use the Aquarium
> Pharmaceuticals Freshwater Master Test Kit) and use it religiously.
> Opinions are very mixed on the use of starter cultures such as Cycle and I'm
> not sure if they really help, but I'm using Cycle while cycling the tank I
> have slated to house a betta.
>
> I'm also a big fan of fishless cycling so as to avoid putting the fish under
> the stress of ammonia and nitrite poisoning. See details
here:http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_fishless.phphttp://malawicichlids.com/mw01017.htm
>
> It can take a month or more, so be patient.
>
> --
> David L. Burkhead "Dum Vivimus Vivamus"
> mailto:dburkh...@sff.net "While we live, let us live."
> My webcomic Cold Servingshttp://www.coldservings.com-- Back from hiatus!
> Updates Wednesdays- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
The product Cycle is a waste of your money, and time.
It has the wrong type of bacteria in it.
If you're using this on a brand new set up *with* fish in it, then you
are cycling with fish.
Cycle has a later stage bacteria in it, not the first stage (which is
what is needed).
The only bacteria starter product so far that has the proper type is
made by Marineland - BioSpira.
Cycle has Nitrobacter bacteria and you need Nitrospira bacteria to
start with.
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Posted by David L. Burkhead on October 16, 2007, 11:21 am
Please log in for more thread options
The OP was apparently cycling with fish (something I ended up doing when I
started with the goldfish because I didn't know any better when I started)
but the Betta tank I am prepping is being put through fishless cycling.
BTW, in addition to the Cycle, I stuck a used filter element from the
Goldfish tank in there to get things started. With my other tank, the
cycling process "hung" the longest on the nitrite portion so the nitrobacter
may actually be a good thing from my perspective.
Currently, I've got the tank to the point where I can dose it with ammonia
to 8 ppm and have it drop to zero within two days. The nitrites, however,
hang a lot longer.
I've about to leave on a business trip (I'll be giving the Goldfish a fairly
large water change and a good gravel vacuum before I leave since I don't
think my wife is up to doing that kind of maintenance--feeding is more her
speed) but I figure when I get back the new tank should be ready to go.
--
David L. Burkhead "Dum Vivimus Vivamus"
mailto:dburkhead@sff.net "While we live, let us live."
My webcomic Cold Servings
http://www.coldservings.com -- Back from hiatus!
Updates Wednesdays
> > Cshenk wrote:
> > > Hi, fairly experinced fish keeper here but reestablishing a 70gT tank
> > > after
> > > 6.5 years in storage. It's been ages since I had to start one over
> > > fresh. I recall the process but not the time factor. No need for
> > > immediate answer, the tank gets here in 4 days but we plan to fil it
> > > on the back porch to make sure it's still watertight, and leave it
> > > there for a week. Then, we bring it in and fill and start the
> > > process.
> >
> > > We normally start with just fresh water, gravel, and LFS plants and
> > > the pump. I've had bad experiences with getting tank water from LFS
> > > places. Then, after a week or so we add a molly nd leave it be. I
> > > seem to recall 3 weeks? Has to be a week after it clouds up then
> > > clears. There is a biota bottle we used once and it worked well to
> > > get things going.
> >
> > > It's more of a 'remind me' than a teaching of the basics. Bet you
> > > folks are happy to see that for a change!
> > > xxcarol
> >
> > My recommendation would be to get a test kit (I use the Aquarium
> > Pharmaceuticals Freshwater Master Test Kit) and use it religiously.
> > Opinions are very mixed on the use of starter cultures such as Cycle and
I'm
> > not sure if they really help, but I'm using Cycle while cycling the tank
I
> > have slated to house a betta.
> >
> > I'm also a big fan of fishless cycling so as to avoid putting the fish
under
> > the stress of ammonia and nitrite poisoning. See details
here:http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_fishless.phphttp://malawicichlids.c
om/mw01017.htm
> >
> > It can take a month or more, so be patient.
> >
> > --
> > David L. Burkhead "Dum Vivimus Vivamus"
> > mailto:dburkh...@sff.net "While we live, let us live."
> > My webcomic Cold Servingshttp://www.coldservings.com-- Back from hiatus!
> > Updates Wednesdays- Hide quoted text -
> >
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> The product Cycle is a waste of your money, and time.
> It has the wrong type of bacteria in it.
> If you're using this on a brand new set up *with* fish in it, then you
> are cycling with fish.
> Cycle has a later stage bacteria in it, not the first stage (which is
> what is needed).
> The only bacteria starter product so far that has the proper type is
> made by Marineland - BioSpira.
> Cycle has Nitrobacter bacteria and you need Nitrospira bacteria to
> start with.
>
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Posted by on October 19, 2007, 3:04 pm
Please log in for more thread options rather than getting the RIGHT kind of ammonia and getting the RIGHT amount in the
tank, a pinch of Hikari Gold fish food for a small tank up to a tablespoon in a
75
gallon can be tossed into the tank, the heat set to 82oF and plenty of aeration.
In
3 days or so watch the ammonia. If no ammonia is seen add more food.
or, try any fish food that causes an ammonia spike.
Ingrid
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> after
> 6.5 years in storage. It's been ages since I had to start one over
> fresh. I recall the process but not the time factor. No need for
> immediate answer, the tank gets here in 4 days but we plan to fil it
> on the back porch to make sure it's still watertight, and leave it
> there for a week. Then, we bring it in and fill and start the
> process.
>
> We normally start with just fresh water, gravel, and LFS plants and
> the pump. I've had bad experiences with getting tank water from LFS
> places. Then, after a week or so we add a molly nd leave it be. I
> seem to recall 3 weeks? Has to be a week after it clouds up then
> clears. There is a biota bottle we used once and it worked well to
> get things going.
>
> It's more of a 'remind me' than a teaching of the basics. Bet you
> folks are happy to see that for a change!
> xxcarol